Government pledge to raise Nancy Glen

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The costs of recovering bodies from the Nancy Glen will be met by the Scottish government.

This afternoon, fisheries secretary Fergus Ewing announced that the Scottish government will work with salvage specialists and the families of Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk.

The government will support efforts to retrieve the bodies of the missing fishermen, after the boat was lost near Barmore Island in Loch Fyne last month, within sight of Tarbert, where the crew and their families lived.

MAIB chief inspector of marine accidents Steve Clinch said: ‘The MAIB has completed its review of the data obtained from last week’s underwater surveys of the wreck of FV Nancy Glen.

‘From this, and other evidence collected, we now know enough about the circumstances of the accident for us to complete our investigation, and we do not intend to recover the wreck.’

Following the Marine Accident Investigation Board’s (MAIB) decision to leave the vessel in situ, the Scottish government has now agreed to examine whether the vessel can be lifted from its position to enable recovery.

This would mean raising the vessel to a position just below the surface to allow divers to enter and operate as safely as possible.

Mr Ewing said: ‘This has been a deeply distressing time for the families of Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk.

‘In these tragic and extremely exceptional circumstances, with the Nancy Glen having been lost within sight of the family homes and the wider community, it is only right that the Scottish government intervenes.

‘The money raised through crowdfunding can go to the families rather than the recovery operation.

‘A recovery operation will pose serious logistical challenges, and will need to be undertaken with the safety of divers and others involved uppermost in mind.

‘This has been an upsetting time for all those involved, but we owe it to the families of the fishermen who were lost to mount this operation.

‘And while there is no guarantee of a successful outcome, I hope our intervention will help bring some closure to the families and friends of Mr MacDougall and Mr Krawczyk.’